Air gun



E. E. FOSTER Dec. 6, 1955 AIR GUN 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 3l, 1951 IN VENTOR ATFORNEYJ` E. E. FOSTER Dec. 6, 1955 AIR GUN 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 3l, 1951 l INVENTOR ,/'V' 50W/N E. FOSTER Dec. 6, i955 E. E, FOSTER 2,?2558 AIR GUN Filed Oct. 3l, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 E' INVENTOR.

50W/N E FOSTER United States Patent Ofice 2,725,868 Patented Dec. 6, 1955 AIR GUN Edwin E. Foster, Austin, Tex., assignor of one-half to Don 0. Scott, Detroit, Mich.

Application October 31, 1951, Serial No. 254,100

4 Claims. (Cl. 124-13) The present invention relates to an air gun and more particularly to an automatic repeater air gun to shoot any suitable object as for instance Celluloid balls known, for example, as ping pong balls. This invention is an improvement of my invention disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 156,371, filed April 17, 1950.

It is an object of this invention to provide a toy air gun with a barrel extending into and substantially throughout the length of the stock and to provide means at the muzzle end of the barrel to restrict the diameter of the bore of the barrel and at the other end to load the balls into the barrel.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means secured under the barrel of the gun to build up the air pressure in the barrel prior to the release of the ball from the muzzle end of the gun.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of a at ribbon spring member which rolls up on itself to urge the line of balls toward the muzzle end and which roll contacts the last ball in the barrel.

Further objects will be apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figures l and 1A are longitudinal sectional views of the gun,

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. l,

Figures 3 and 3A are longitudinal sectional views of a modied gun structure,

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 3,

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of a modified con strictor member, y

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the loading position,

Figure 7 is an end view of the constrictor of Figure 5,

Figure 8 is an end view of the vconstrictor of Figure 6,

Figures 9 and 10 are top views of a detail in different positions,

Figure 1l is a longitudinal section of a further modified constrictor member, and

Figure l2 is a longitudinal section of the constrictor of Figure ll showing the tiring position.

Referring to the form of the gun as illustratedinvFigs. 1 to 2, the gun comprises the main parts thereof as the stock 5, the barrel 6, the pump or compressor 7 and the muzzle constrictor 8. ,The stock S maybe madevof wood or any other suitable Vmaterialsuch as aplastic whichg may be molded in its entirety or in halves to be then suitably secured together by heat or by means of bolts. The barrel 6 is, however, preferably made of metal and the constrictor 8 is made of rubber. The barrel tube 6 is bent at 9 in the stock 5 and terminates at 10 in a hollowed out portion 11 of the butt end 12 of the stock 5. The muzzle end 13 of the stock has the constrictor member 8 fitted thereover.

The projectiles or balls 14 are loaded into the barrel 6 at the end 10 which latter is closed with an air tight t by means of a closure cap 15 hinged at 66 to the stock 5. The projectiles have a loose fit in the barrel so that air can ow past them. The closure cap 15 is preferably made in two cup-shaped parts 16 and 17, Fig. 1, between which a rubber washer 18 is provided, the latter of which tightly contacts the end 10 of the barrel when the cap is closed. The cap 15 is locked in closed position as shown by means of a pivoted latch 19 which cooperates with a stationary cam slot constituting a bayonet lock 20.

The muzzle end 13 of the barrel 6, Fig. 1A, is provided with the rubber constrictor 8 which has a collar portion 21 to tightly lit on the barrel and a somewhat outwardly ared portion 22 with the actual constricted part 23 flaring inwardly. The ared-in ridge 23 tends to keep the leading ball 14 in the end of the barrel until the pump builds up enough air pressure to force the ball past the ridge when the gun is tired.

The pump 7 is composed of a cylinder 24 which is preferably made of metal and may be welded to the barrel 6 or secured by other means such as a band clamp 25, Fig. l.

A pump handle 26 of wood or plastic is made to slide over practically the entire exposed cylinder 24 and is suitably formed with gripping ridges 27 to facilitate the pumping action. The end 28 of the handle has a piston rod 29 secured thereto by means of nuts 30 and this rod is supported in its reciprocating movement by an end closure 31 provided with an air passage 32 therethrough. The piston rod 29 has a piston 33 secured at the inner end thereof by means of a nut threaded on the end of the piston rod and this piston is preferably of the type .in which a leather washer 35 is secured and held between two metal discs 36 so that the peripheral edges 37 may collapse somewhat to allow air to stream past the piston when the latter moves to the left, Fig. l, but not when the piston moves to the right as is well known. The right end, Fig. 1 of the cylinder 24 is closed by a closure block 38 having a passage 39 therein controlled by a ball valve 40. A tube 41 is in communication with the passage 39 at one end and with a hole or opening 42 at the other end in the barrel 6 adjacent the closure cap 1S. A spring 43, Fig. 1A, may preferably be provided on the piston rod 29 to act as a cushion check when the piston is pulled out or the left upon actuation of the handle 27, the latter being compressed between the end closure 31 and one of the discs 36 during the checking action.

The operation of the gun which has just been described is believed to be obvious from this description and the drawings. The barrel is loaded from the stock end 1t) by opening the closure cap 15 and placing the balls 14 into the barrel one by one until the barrel is full. The cap 15 is then closed and latched and then by sliding the handle 26 and piston 33 to the left the cylinder to the right side of the piston 33 will be lilled with air through the passage 32 and past the cup washer 37. On the next right movement of the handle and piston the air is cornpressed somewhat in the cylinder and is forced out past the ball valve 40 through passage 39 and tube 41, through the hole 42 and into the barrel 6. The compressed air will flow'past the balls in the barrel to act on the leading ball 14 adjacent the constriction 23 until the exible force of the internal rubber ridge is overcome whereby the leading ball will b e forced out of the ared portion 22. The immediately followed ball will be caught and retained by the constrictor due to diminished air pressure as a result of firing of the leading ball, the latter ball not being released or tired until the pump is given a repeat stroke. Thus one by one the balls may be tired from the gun as quickly as the pump may be reciprocated.

The structure shown in Figs. 3 to 4 carry the same reference characters for parts similar to the same or.

corresponding parts in Figs. 1 to 2. As to the pump the inner end closure 44, Fig. 3 has a passage 4S therein provided with a ball valve 46 and this passage terminates at an opening 47 in the barrel 6. Otherwise the pump has the same structure as the one shown in Figs. 1 to 2. The gun of Figs. 3 to 4 is loaded from the muzzle end of the barrel and, therefore, the stock end 4S of the barrel is closed. The muzzle end of the barrel has the constricter member 49 pivotally mounted at 50 and is secured by a latch member 51. Thus when the latch 51 is released the member 49 is swung downwardly, Fig. 3A, around the pivot 50 to permit the balls 14 to be loaded into the barrel. In order to force or urge the balls 14 toward the muzzle `end of the barrel and particularly out of the stock end, a constant tension spring ribbon 51 is provided in the barrel along -its length, as for instance along the upper internal surface of the barrel, and is secured at the muzzle end at 52 by any suitable means. At the other or stock end the spring 51 is free to coil up into a coil 53 which rolls and follows or urges the series of balls to the left, Fig. 3, as they are fired from the gun. The coil 53 at the extreme right end or in the position of full load has a diameter which is suiciently small to accommodate the growing size of the coil as the latter appreaches the muzzle end and when the muzzle end is reached upon the tiring of the last ball the diameter of the coil will still clear the barrel to prevent jamming.

The operation of the gm of Figs. 3 to 4 will be obvious in view of the foregoing and the operation of the modification of Figs. 1 to 2.

Figs. to 10 illustrate a modified constrictor member in which a flexible rubber sleeve 60 is provided on the end of the barrel 61. This constrictor is so constructed that the ping pong balls 14 may be loaded into the barrel 61 through the muzzle end similar to Figs. 3 to 4. The s.eeve 60 is provided with a plurality of spaced projections 62 each having a perforation 63 therein through which a spring wire ring 64 passes having a loop 65 at each end thereof. The perforations are large enough to provide a clearance so that the rubber can expand without opening the ring 64. The ring 64 `and loops 65 act as a latch to hold the constrictor in its expanded position as shown in Figs. 6, 8 and 10 to permit the barrel 61 to be loaded with balls 14 which are fed into the barrel in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 6. Figs. 5, 7 and 9 show the ring 64 and the constrictor in the normal position in which the balls are in the ring position movable one by one in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 5.

In order to load the balls into the barrel 61 itis merely necessary to pull the two rings 65 toward each other from the position of Figs. 7 and 9 to the position of Figs. 8 and l0 which will expand the spring 64 and thereby the rubber sleeve adjacent the projections 62 will permit the passage of the balls.

Figs. 11 and 12 show a further modified constrictor in which a rubber sleeve 66 is mounted on the muzzle end of the barrel 67 and this sleeve has a thickened portion 68 and a thin portion 69. Actually Figs. 11 and 12 show a modification to be applied to the structure of Figs. l to 2.

Fig. 11 shows the balls 14 in the normal position of the balls with the end 69 in the normal shape before air forces the end ball 70 into the restriction 69. Fig. 12 shows the ball 70 fired from the barrel with the second ball 71 in the position for the next air pressure force, that is, between strokes.

Further modifications may be made other than those shown and described within the scope of the appended claims.

l claim as my invention:

l. An air gun comprising a unitary imperforate barrel of uniform circular section throughout its length in which a series of projectiles are stored, a series of spherical projectiles fitting in the barrel to be discharged serially therefrom, means at the muzzle end of the barrel to maintain the projectiles in the barrel but which is yielding to permit the projectiles to be projected in series from the barrel, a stock for the barrel and into which the barrel projects through the entire length thereof, and pump means to the underside of the barrel beyond the stock connected to the barrel for intermittently building up air pressure in the barrel to project the projectiles singly from the gun, said barrel being unobstructed throughout substantially the entire length thereof, whereby said stored projectiles may extend serially in said barrel from said yielding means tothe rear end of said stock.

2. An air gun comprising a stock having an opening extending longitudinally therethrough, a tubular imperforate barrel of uniform circular section throughout its length having a portion extending into the opening in the stock and a free barrel portion extending beyond the stock to receive a series of projectiles, a series of spherical projectiles fitting in the barrel to be discharged serially therefrom, said barrel being unobstructed substantially throughout its length and having a bent portion therein to conform with the angle of the opening in the stock relative to the free portion of the barrel, a yielding dis charge ring at the muzzle end of the barrel to maintain the projectiles in the barrel but which is yielding to permit the projectiles to be projected serially from the barrel and a pump secured to the barrel and connected in iluid communication to the rear end of the barrel to intermittently build up air pressure in the barrel to project the projectiles singly therefrom, said pump being disposed in a position offset axially from the barrel.

3. An air gun as called for in claim l including means for yieldably urging said spherical projectiles `in said barrel in a direction towards said muzzle, said last mentioned means comprising a ribbon spring wound into a series of co-planar convolutions, said spring being anchored at one end on said barrel adjacent the muzzle and extending axially along the barrel with the spirally wound portion thereof disposed behind the rearmost projectile in said barrel.

4. The air gun as called for in claim 3 wherein said spring is a constant tension spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 429,499 Bunsen June 3, 1890 477,322 Bunsen lune 21, 1892 1,171,197 Harmon Feb. 8, 1916 2,101,762 Straub Dec. 7, 1937 2,375,607 Wulfert May 8, 1945 2,505,428 Pope Apr. 25, 1950 2,566,181 Fitch Aug. 28, 1951 2,567,643 Kapsa Sept. 1l, 1951 2,574,408 Moe Nov. 6, 1951 2,601,555 Pope lune 24, 1952. 2,630,108 White Mar. 3, 1953 

